Valet parkers are scum.

I went to happy hour last night at a place that's really designed for people with bigger incomes than mine. It's called Z Tejas. It's yummy food, and it's not outrageously priced, but it ain't Chili's. And while I enjoy the cache of saying that's where I'm going for happy hour, which is really just dinner with drinks first, because it makes me sound sophisticated and successful, the truth is that I end up scanning the menu for the cheapest thing I can order that will actually fill me up and yet not make me look like I'm trying to find the cheapest thing. So, I don't necessarily order THE cheapest thing - I'll order something *just* a little more expensive than that - like 50 or 75 cents more expensive. See - I'm not poor! I'm just not that hungry!

Admittedlly, there was a time I would've ordered THE cheapest thing and water. Now, I can order a step up and a glass of (cheap) wine. And if it was a special occasion, and it wasn't the Christmas season, and I hadn't been socializing a lot lately, I actually COULD work a real Z Tejas dinner into my budget. It's not THAT expensive. So, I'm movin' on up...to a deluxe apartment...in the sky. But I've been spending a lot of money going out lately, so last night it was time to tighten the belt and stick to the appetizer menu for my dinner.

Anyway, what makes me realize that I'm only marginally at the Z Tejas level of society isn't actually the food. It was the valet parking. See, the restaurant has a lot right next to it, that they start blocking off for valet-parking only at 5:30. There is also a lot behind the restaurant that they don't own, and that they can't block off. Anyone who can find a spot can park in that lot for free. I happen to get there about 5:25, and the valet spots were already blocked off, so I head up to the free lot (which is where I would've parked anyway). Well, as I'm gathering my stuff in the car, I see the valet guy whip into the free lot to...you guessed it...take up the free spots before other restaurant patrons could get them, thus forcing them to pay for valet parking, because gee, all the free spots were taken!

Valet scumbags.

But, you see, I was probably the only one bothered by that, except for maybe my friends who were with me that had to park blocks away because they, too, weren't ponying up for the valet parking and, gee, all the free spots nearby were taken. Everyone else in the restaurant probably paid their $5 (plus tip I'm sure) and happily stepped on into the restaurant for their dinner off the dinner menu, with nary a thought as to the devious valets and their mysterious ways.

I realize that the fact I can even complain about this means I'm doing just fine in life. I'm not relegated to McDonald's, and I have friends to actually have dinner with at a nice restaurant. But these things must be pointed out!

On the upside, my appetizer dinner was good and filled me up just fine (though I think I might have read our bill wrong and not put in as much as I should have - I think I thought Angela's salad price was my appetizer price. I'll definitely make that up to you, girls, if I did that!), and our service was great. The waitress was really nice, even though we camped at our table for more than 3 hours, and I enjoyed my evening very much. But we shan't be doing happy hour there again anytime soon. We're sticking to places with better parking opportunties.